There’s a decent amount of legitimate NFL contenders out there — we see you, Chiefs, Lions, Ravens and Eagles — with some favorites and respected challengers with a real shot to make a significant playoff run.
It seems like the middle class is shrinking, though, ’cause there are a lot of really bad teams. Like, a ton. Like, it’s hard to believe that a two- or three-win team could rank in the mid-20s of this Week 11 list. Yet, here we are, with a lot of awful football being played across the league.
RELATED CONTENT:
That part isn’t fun, as the distance between the haves and have nots seems to be great in a league designed to create parity.
And then there’s the NFC North, where things are going well for every team but the Bears. You can peruse our fine site to read about all that ails the Bears at this point, once you’re done with these Week 11 NFL Power Rankings, where the Bears have taken a sharp, downward turn from previously decent standing.
Now let’s take a look at how the NFL shakes out after 10 weeks of the 2024 season:
1. Kansas City Chiefs (9-0): Don’t care one bit about margin of victory. The champs always find a way to win.
2. Detroit Lions (8-1): What a showing against Houston. The Lions can beat you so many ways.
3. Baltimore Ravens (7-3): Lamar Jackson is the best player in football right now.
4. Buffalo Bills (7-2): Buffalo has win five straight. They’re real AFC contenders. No mistake about that.
5. Philadelphia Eagles (6-2): Jalen Hurts is back to playing like Jalen Hurts.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2): 50 percent completion rate. Under 200 yards, but three touchdowns and clutch play. That’s how ol’ man Russ cooks.
7. Minnesota Vikings (7-2): Vikings defense gave Sam Darnold a mulligan. Vikes QB has to be better moving forward.
8. Washington Commanders (7-3): Jayden Daniels now knows what Pittsburgh Steelers defense is all about.
9. Green Bay Packers (6-3): Packers are coming to Chicago this week off a bye. Jordan Love sure needed the rest.
10. Houston Texans (6-4): Texans gave Detroit everything they could handle. They’ve lost three of four, but Houston’s gonna be okay.
11. Los Angeles Chargers (5-3): Justin Herbert was just so-so for a while, but he’s starting to go Super Saiyan.
12. Atlanta Falcons (6-4): Younghoe had a terrible day at the office vs. New Orleans. And then Arthur Blank gives him a pep talk heading off the field. The Falcons owner is a 1-of-1 individual.
13. San Francisco 49ers (5-4): Deebo Samuel got into it with (checks notes) a kicker and a long snapper?!?
14. Arizona Cardinals (5-4): Kyler Murray might (finally) be playing to his potential.
15. Denver Broncos (5-5): Denver is currently in playoff position after a tough loss and, you know, not having tons of offensive talent. Not a Sean Payton fan, but that’s good coaching.
16. Cincinnati Bengals (4-6): Sometimes a controversial call can help. Sometimes it hurts. Bengals on the wrong side this time, and it was a big blow.
17. Seattle Seahawks (4-5): Coming out of a bye, Seattle needs to rely a bit more on Kenneth Walker and a bit less on Geno doing crazy stuff.
18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-6): Baker never says die, even while throwing and stiff-arming Nick Bosa at the same time. The injuries around him, though, have been debilitating.
19. Chicago Bears (4-5): Bears offense is broken, and it sure seems like Shane Waldron’s gonna walk the plank for it.
20. Los Angeles Rams (4-5): Look good one week, rough the next. Rams seem destined for .500.
21. Indianapolis Colts (4-6): This whole quarterback situation in Indy isn’t going great.
22. Miami Dolphins (3-6): Dolphins have lost some tough ones, but weaker competition is coming up as they’re (finally) finding form.
23. New York Jets (3-7): Aaron Rodgers might be worth more to the Jets on a darkness retreat.
24. Dallas Cowboys (3-6): Dak’s done for the year. Mike McCarthy’s surely done as Cowboys head coach.
25. New England Patriots (3-7): Pats might have something in Drake Maye.
26. Carolina Panthers (3-7): Carolina is just ruining their draft position with all these wins.
27. New Orleans Saints (3-7): Saints got the interim head coach bounce. Will it last more than a game? Methinks not.
28. Cleveland Browns (2-7): Jedrick Willis Jr. apparently made a business decision to sit with injury and now he’s benched. Maybe don’t say that stuff out loud next time.
29. Tennessee Titans (2-7): Will Levis is looking better. If a strong end to the season convinces Titans to not draft a quarterback…then they’re really in trouble.
30. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-8): Trevor Lawrence might miss the rest of the season?!? Just cash out and call it a lost season.
31. Las Vegas Raiders (2-7): A bye doesn’t make you forget just how lost this franchise is.
32. New York Giants (2-8): Travel all the way to Germany to get beat by the Panthers. Hope Munich sightseeing was fun.